In this Friday, Dec. 15, 2017 photo, people wave Catalonian flags as ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont appears on a screen via video link from Brussels, during the electoral campaign for the Catalan regional election in Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

In this Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 photo, Catalan ex-vice president Oriol Juqueras, speaks during an event promoting the start of the campaign for the ballot in Tarragona, about 100 kilometres south of Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

In this Dec. 16, 2017 photo, Ines Arrimadas, from the Citizens Party and candidate for the upcoming Catalan regional election, applauds during an electoral campaign for the Catalan regional election in Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

In this Dec. 18, 2017 photo, Miquel Iceta of Partido Socialista de Catalunya (Socialist Party of Catalonia), left, speaks with Xavier Garcia Albiol of Partido Popular (Popular Party) during a photo session at the beginning of the last electoral television debate ahead of the regional election in Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

In this Dec. 18, 2017 photo, Xavier Garcia Albiol of Partido Popular (Popular Party) stands during a photo session at the beginning of the last electoral television debate ahead of the regional election in Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

In this Sunday, Dec. 12, 2017 photo, Carles Riera, for the Candidatura d'Unitat Popular–Crida Constituent (Popular Unity Candidacy–Constituent Call), gestures as he speaks during a campaign meeting in Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

In this Dec. 18, 2017 photo, Xavier Domenech of Catalunya en Comu (Catalonia in Common), gestures during a photo session at the beginning of the last electoral television debate ahead of the regional election in Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

In this Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 photo, ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont sits next to Catalan ex-vice president Oriol Juqueras, right, during an event promoting the start of the campaigning for the ballot in Tarragona, about 100 kilometres south of Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

In this Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 photo, ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont walks to the stage to deliver a speech during an event promoting the start of the campaigning for the ballot in Tarragona, about 100 kilometres south of Barcelona, Spain. Catalonia's regional election is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed in Spain and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Who's who in Catalonia's election marked by secession fight

Who's who in Catalonia's election marked by secession fight

Who's who in Catalonia's election marked by secession fight

By JOSEPH WILSON

Dec. 21, 2017

https://www.apnews.com/0dc5cda178c447d2a349fa28ccebb608

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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Catalonia's regional election on Thursday is being fought by a motley crew of candidates, including the fugitive ex-president, the former vice president who's jailed near Madrid and a newcomer who's emerged as the homegrown response to Catalan separatism.

But the race could be decided by a minority party that opposes independence from Spain, but wants a binding referendum on the issue.

Here is a look at the leading Catalan politicians disputing the hotly-contested election:

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CARLES PUIGDEMONT

The 54-year-old former journalist has become Spain's enemy No. 1.

Puigdemont is trying to win back the Catalan regional presidency two months after he was removed from office by Spain's central government following an illegal declaration of independence by Catalonia's parliament.

But Puigdemont fled to Brussels instead of facing questioning in Spain on suspicion of rebellion and sedition, among other possible crimes.

Since Spanish law can only bar someone from political activity if they have been convicted, Puigdemont is running a campaign for his "Together For Catalonia" party from Belgium.

Puigdemont hopes that a win at the polls would put pressure on Spain to allow him to avoid jail if he returned.

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ORIOL JUNQUERAS

Unlike Puigdemont, his former No. 2 is already behind bars.

Junqueras heeded a Spanish summons and was jailed pending the conclusion of an investigation into the Oct. 27 declaration of independence.

A charismatic true believer in the secession cause, the Catalan ex-vice president is trying to lead his pro-secession Republican Left party from a prison outside Madrid.

Polls consistently show that Republican Left has the best chance of being the party that wins the most votes, although it would be nowhere near an outright majority.

But with Junqueras' legal future looking as bleak as Puigdemont's, the No. 2 on the Republican Left's list, Marta Rovira, is in the best position of all the separatists to become head of a ruling coalition.

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INES ARRIMADAS

Originally from southern Spain but fluent in Catalan, the 36-year-old Ines Arrimadas personifies the counter-narrative to Catalan separatism.

Arrimadas has had a spectacular rise since her start in politics in 2012 with the pro-business Citizens party, which struck a nerve with Catalans who also feel Spanish after it was founded in Barcelona 11 years ago as a homegrown response to the secession movement.

Despite her lack of experience, she proved to be a strong leader of the opposition in the last legislature of the Catalan parliament and has successfully taken up the banner of the anti-secessionist cause.

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MIQUEL ICETA

While against independence, Iceta has staked claim to the middle ground as the voice of calm reason in the highly polarized campaign.

He is poised to help Spain's Socialists rebound in Catalonia after suffering huge losses during the recent rise of separatist sentiment.

Made famous for busting some impromptu dance moves at a campaign event in the last elections, the 57-year-old Iceta has earned the respect of adversaries for his mild manners and calls for dialogue.

That goodwill could give him an outside chance of heading a coalition of forces if the votes fall right on election night.

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XAVIER GARCIA ALBIOL

Garcia Albiol is a tall man facing an even taller task.

The former youth basketball player is the candidate of Spain's ruling Popular Party in Catalonia.

But as resilient as Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservatives are in Spain's national elections, they are facing a debacle in Catalonia.

Far from being seen as the savior of anti-secession Catalans, polls indicate that the Popular Party will be hard pressed to keep its residual 8.5 percent of the vote from 2015.

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CARLES RIERA

Riera is the latest face of the far-left CUP party, which represents the most radical elements of the secession movement.

Although it only had 10 seats in the 135-seat parliament, support from its lawmakers was key to keeping Puigdemont's coalition in office and the independence drive alive over the past two years. CUP advocates a campaign of disobedience.

Riera recently said that "obviously we are already living in a republic" that was only "interrupted" by the takeover by Spain's central authorities.

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XAVIER DOMENECH

If the forecasts prove true, then Domenech may get to play kingmaker.

His leftist Catalunya en Comu party, the local variant of Spain's Podemos, is the only party of the seven on the slate that doesn't take a clear stand on the burning question of independence.

Domenech has criticized separatists for breaking the law to attempt their breakaway, while also calling Spain's resulting intervention in the regional government heavy-handed.

Polls show that Domenech's party could be left holding the key to support either a government formed by a coalition of pro-secession parties or one made up of parties favoring a unified Spain.

Domenech's party wants a legal referendum on Catalan independence.

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This story has been corrected to show that Ines Arrimadas is 36, not 34.